This invention relates generally to vibrators and, more particularly, to a vibrator bracket for settling concrete and unloading materials.
Vibrators are typically utilized to aid in the formation of large concrete structures and in removal of bulk materials from storage containers. Typically, large concrete structures require a large formation vessel in which the concrete is cured. Air pockets may be formed by air trapped in the concrete when it is poured into the formation vessel. Curing the concrete without removal of the air pockets produces an ultimately weak concrete structure. Vibrators are utilized to repeatedly shake the formation vessel and remove any air trapped in the concrete after it is poured.
Vibrators are also utilized to aid in the removal of bulk materials from storage containers also utilized for transportation, such as railroad cars and drum units, during unloading. These vibrators are commonly attached to the wall of an object to be vibrated by bolts, brackets and other fastening devices. Several bolts are required to maintain sufficient contact between the vibrator and the object to be vibrated.
In particular, the vibrators must be tightly secured to the object to be vibrated for proper vibration performance. However, using several bolts and brackets to secure the vibrators is disadvantageous in that it prevents quick and easy removal of the vibrators by workers.
Setting up these vibrator and bracket assemblies for use is also time consuming. After one object has been vibrated, the vibrator and bracket assembly must be unbolted, moved to the next object to be vibrated, and rebolted into place. This process of unbolting and rebolting to release and secure the vibrator to the bracket and the bracket to the object to be vibrated is tedious and time consuming.
For example, a small concrete plant may repeat the process twenty times to complete ten concrete structures. The brackets often do not have handles for positioning the bracket in and removing the bracket from the object to be vibrated, which makes the mounting of the vibrator assemblies even more time consuming and difficult.
Moreover, many of these brackets require special customized parts, including pins of special diameter and length, and customized eye bolts to fasten the vibrators into place on the brackets. Typically, these customized parts are costly and not always readily available. Furthermore, the extreme vibration of these vibrators often causes the customized parts to wear out, thus requiring regular replacement.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a vibrator bracket that easily transports and secures a vibrator into place, and does not require bolts to attach, tighten, and secure the bracket onto the object to be vibrated. In addition, it would be desirable to provide a vibrator bracket that may be used with several types of vibrators yet is inexpensive to manufacture.